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iPhone or Blackberry Pearl?

R

ross.32

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 27, 2007
259
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I was completely set on buying an iPhone 2.0 when it comes out (hopefully in June). I was kinda counting on GPS and 32GB, but the absence of either one of those would not have kept me from getting the device.

I want the phone because of the coolness factor I guess, but there are some things that I need out of my next phone also. I will be using the phone to assist me on storm chasing. I was hoping that the phone would have GPS so I could use that as a GPS antenna for my computer, but if that does not work I do not mind just buying an extra GPS receiver. The main thing I want from it is mobil internet. Again, I have to hope here a little bit. I am hoping a program comes from the SDK that allows internet tethering to my computer, but even if that does not come through, I found a hack that will allow me to do that anyway.

Today, my dad called me and offered to extend (and continue paying for) my US Cellular contract and get me a BlackBerry Pearl, and I could have the phone by tomorrow. The advantages of this is that I would not have to pay anything. For the iPhone, I would pay, based on the rumors, $499 or $599 for the 32GB version, then pay about $75 a month.

ATT does have much better data coverage than US Cellular (decent data coverage in rural areas is crucial for storm chasing) and the iPhone is a lot better phone, but is it better enough (terrible grammar I know) to be worth the money I will be paying? I have to decide tonight, please help!!
 
Is a touchscreen important to you?

For me, cruising the internet with trackball or 5 way navigator is way too convoluted. I'd rather touch where I want to go. I've been this way ever since my Palm of 2001. Which is why I chose my WM6 phone over a Curve.

Also, I always say any of the big 4 is better than any regional carrier. I say going with AT&T is leaps and bounds over US Cellular.

Also you said yourself that AT&T has better data coverage, that should be your answer right there.
 
Tough decisions I know. Although most of the responses will definately be biased towards the iPhone (you are posting in the MacRumors forum).

I have had a pearl and while you can use the internet features, it doesn't hold a candle to the iPhone's functionality.

As for GPS I was using Verizon which charges for the GPS. I was able to use the maps feature and was horribly lacking compared to the map feature in the iPhone.

Of course, if your provider has horrible service where you plan to use it, you might want that to be your deciding factor.
 
I faced this dilemma in almost the same situation; I had a Blackberry Pearl on T-Mobile however.

I agree with the above post that browsing the internet on the Pearl was way to convoluted. I browse with ease on my new iPhone (jailbroken) on T-Mobile. Would never go back to the Pearl. The only thing I miss about the Pearl is the date settings, which can show you your appointments/events on the main screen.

Pick the iPhone...you won't be sorry.:)
 
Yeah I understand that the BlackBerry is in no way as good as an iPhone, but either one will be a step up from what I have now. What it comes down to is the BlackBerry is free and the iPhone would not be. Is the iPhone $2400 better that the BlackBerry?
 
I got my iPhone yesterday and there is NOTHING that I dislike about it (unlike my KRZR on Alltel which I hated). However, paying $2,400 extra for it seems like a lot. While the iPhone is obviously a better phone (because of AT&T as opposed to US Cellular), and the functions are awesome, I don't know if it's worth it to pay that much more when you could get a good phone for free. I worked out a deal with my parents where I pay for the phone itself and part of the monthly bill (which is probably around $80 for me because I added more texting). So I don't really know. If you want to spend MUCH more and have a better phone, go for the iPhone, however, the Pearl is still a great phone.
 
As much as I REALLY want an iPhone, I do not think that it would be responsible for me to do that when the Pearl is sitting right in front of me (plus I am a college student, so money is tight). I will probably go with the Pearl and get an iPhone later down the road.
 
I think the better question is 'How old are you?'

If you're out on your own, I think you should be on your own plan.
 
ross.32 said:
As much as I REALLY want an iPhone, I do not think that it would be responsible for me to do that when the Pearl is sitting right in front of me (plus I am a college student, so money is tight). I will probably go with the Pearl and get an iPhone later down the road.
Click to expand...

College is fine. I actually got onto my own plan and had two phones for a while in college (the cancel fee would have been more than keeping the phone and paying for it those months).

I say until you start getting steady money, go with the free option :)
 
ross.32 said:
Yeah I understand that the BlackBerry is in no way as good as an iPhone, but either one will be a step up from what I have now. What it comes down to is the BlackBerry is free and the iPhone would not be. Is the iPhone $2400 better that the BlackBerry?
Click to expand...

No, it's not.
 
I have the Blackberry Pearl, but I really want the iPhone, especially when the 2.0 model is released this summer. I bought the Pearl because I'd lost my old phone and couldn't be without one for the 2-month interim between that time and when the first iPhone would be released.

The whole mobile Internet thing is really appealing to me, and the Web experience on a Blackberry is less than acceptable, with the exception of a few sites such as USA Today and the New York Times, etc. that take the pain out of reading content with a mobile "index."
 
ross.32 said:
As much as I REALLY want an iPhone, I do not think that it would be responsible for me to do that when the Pearl is sitting right in front of me (plus I am a college student, so money is tight). I will probably go with the Pearl and get an iPhone later down the road.
Click to expand...

That doesn't sound like a bad idea if you have the voice & data coverage with the Pearl. I don't know how difficult they are to use, but apparently there are people that know. You also might be hindered by the lack of Flash. I dunno. I don't chase storms (I run away). I got a steal of a deal on my first iPhone, so now I can sit back and wait for EVERYTHING I want before plunking out $400 or $500.
 
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